Results 4,221-4,240 of 4,899 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Second Stage (30 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I was trying to keep it short.I really welcome this legislation. It is so important. I think this is one of the best Bills that will ever pass through the House. I am absolutely delighted with this Bill, and all I can ask the Minister of State is for this to go through as quickly as possible, because it is crucial.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (25 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I have raised the issue several times in the past of how Carlow County Council has one of the lowest income thresholds for people seeking inclusion on its housing list. As the Minister of State is aware, unless a person is on a local authority housing list, he or she will not get rent allowance or housing assistance payment, HAP. To qualify for Carlow County Council's housing list, the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (25 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State. It is important that Carlow's threshold of €27,500 increase to at least €31,000 or €32,000. People cannot stay within that threshold and they will not qualify for mortgages because they are not earning enough. Since timing is crucial, the Minister of State will revert to me as soon as possible. It must not be left until the end of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (25 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Pillar 5.02 states, "To ensure that housing supports, including [the housing assistance payment] HAP, are fair and sustainable". I have had some incidents recently in my area. If a person gets on the local authority housing list and qualifies for HAP, he or she is entitled to a first-time deposit as a one-off. We have now returned to what we would have known as the social welfare offices,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (25 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I have many more questions but I will ask them another time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (25 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is a good scheme.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (25 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Many of the questions I was going to ask have been asked. The uptake of rapid-build housing is disappointing. I always felt this was very much targeted at cities like Dublin, Cork and Limerick and that we needed more in rural Ireland. On the issues of homelessness and emergency homelessness, it is very disappointing that the rent pressure zones were not rolled out further as we are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (25 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: They are not. I checked it out.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree with the previous speaker. Even though we are delighted with the changes, there needs to be a lot more done. I firmly agree with that. I would like to raise an international issue that has very disturbing local consequences. The UK construction and service company, Carillion, which is involved in six projects in Ireland, collapsed this month. The six Irish projects include five...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (23 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State for his opening statement. I was delighted to hear about the meeting that took place yesterday. It is important to get the officials in all the local authorities together because a problem exists in this area. The Minister of State referred to the repair and lease scheme but, in general terms, it is not working because of a funding issue. Carlow and Waterford...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (23 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree with Senator Boyhan. This is a very serious issue. Health is a major issue. We all want broadband because modern technology will be crucial to our lives in future. The Minister of State indicated that minor changes would be made to the height of poles and structures carrying overhead lines. Larger structures will also be built to facilitate a greater number of antennae. I have to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (23 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: That is crucial.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (23 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I know but it still has a knock-on effect, in that one affects the other.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (23 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Why? It is not happening because there is no funding-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (23 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: -----and people do not have the money to do up the properties themselves.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (23 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Okay, sorry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (23 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I wish to make a point on the vacant commercial premises. I cannot understand it. Does the Minister of State believe that property owners on main streets would have units vacant if they had money to do them up? Realistically, this is what we are talking about. We are talking sense now. I was making representations for the repair and lease scheme, but it has not taken up. I know it was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (23 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: That is what I am saying. We have to be practical. I understand that we want to get town centres back. Funding is the biggest issue. Unless some help is given to owners of small shop units, they are not going to be able to use it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (23 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I know that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (23 Jan 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I know and understand that.